How family heritage and versatility shaped Zim cricket sensation Bennett

BY SPORTSCAST WRITER

HARARE – Given his peerless all-round talent, Zimbabwe’s newest sporting hero Brian Bennett could well have been a prolific point-scorer in the green-and-white jersey of the Rugby World Cup-bound Sables.

The Southern African country’s T20 World Cup star is instead now a prolific run-scorer for the national cricket team, popularly known as the Chevrons.

Flyhalf, Bennett’s position in his rugby days, is the heartbeat of the team, the play-maker, the main decision-maker who orchestrates the side’s attack and defence.

That is what 22-year-old opening batsman Bennett has been to Zimbabwe’s cricket side, the heartbeat of the team, who when he decides to have a go, as is often the case, the whole team clicks and stand the Chevrons a chance.

Early exposure to a variety of sporting disciplines helped a great deal in the development of the two Bennett twins – Brian and David – alongside their young brother Sean.

“Brian and David played ‘A’ team rugby until form three at Peterhouse (College),” mother Sarah Bennett tells SportsCast this week.

“Brian played flyhalf and David scrumhalf. They then chose hockey over rugby and played Peterhouse first-team hockey in form four, then Covid hit. They also played squash. Sean played scrumhalf in ‘A’ team rugby till form three, then chose hockey and played first-team hockey in form five and six. Then in his last year at school he moved to rugby and played Peterhouse first-team and received the Best Back of the Year award.”

The twins also gained Zimbabwe Schools squash selection.

That cricket won the battle of the codes in the end for the Bennett boys was understandably an easy decision. It was the main sport of their father and two grandfathers.

Their dad Kelly Bennett played three games for Young Mashonaland in the 1995-06 season in the Logan Cup, Zimbabwe’s first-class competition, while Kelly’s own father Errol Bennett turned out for Salisbury Sports Club (now Harare Sports Club) before Independence.

The three brothers’ maternal grandfather, John McPhun, featured in 33 matches for Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) in South Africa’s Currie Cup, scoring 1 514 runs at an average of 29.11.

Harare-born John McPhun, now 85, represented Rhodesia (modern-day Zimbabwe) in cricket and hockey.

McPhun, who is now 85, was an extraordinary versatile sportsman who also represented Southern Rhodesia in field hockey at the 1964 Olympic Games in Tokyo.

Twins Brian and David Bennett were part of Peterhouse College's first cricket and hockey teams.

His daughter Sarah was also keen on sports, participating in hockey, tennis and squash.

“So combined, McPhun and Bennett genes produced three very sporty young men!” Sarah beams with pride.